1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to restraining devices and, more specifically, to an inflatable restraining device controlled by a remote actuator for selectively restraining a person or object by selectively inflating the device around body parts directly associated with movement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous types of inflatable garments have been provided in the prior art. Typical of these are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,771,727, 2,607,934; 3,895,396; 3,972,526; 4,059,852; 4,685,151, 5,535,446; 5,535,446; 5,692,710; 6,122,772; 6,125,478 and French Patent No FR2617794. While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereto fore described.
In combination with the floor of an airplane, a collapsible gas chamber having one end secured therto, a seat secured to the opposite end of the chamber, a coil spring within said chamber having its opposite ends secured to said floor and said seat respectively, a locking member carried by said seat, and means supported by said floor adapted to cooperate with said locking member carried by said seat, and means supported by said floor adapted to cooperate with said locking member to hold said chamber and spring collapsed.
In a safety garment, an outer layer including a back panel and two front panels secured along their rear edges to the back panel, said front panels being provided with slide fastener closing means along their front edges, full length lining members for the front panels, corresponding in shape and size to the latter, secured along their rear, front and bottom edges to the edges of the front panels, a relatively narrow lining member extending along the upper portion of the back panel, a hollow collar formation composed of outer and under portions, the upper edge of the narrow lining member being secured to the interior edge of the outer collar portion so that an inverted back pocket is formed between that lining member and the back panel and which pocket communicates with the hollow collar, chest pockets formed by stitching together the material of the upper chest areas of the full length front lining members and of the front panels, said chest packets being closed circumferentially except at their top, the top openings of the chest pockets communicating with the hollow collar formation by way of said inverted back pocket; and a continuous inflatable element inserted into said chest pockets and the hollow collar formation; said collar formation being adapted to normally lay flat against the neck and shoulder areas of the garment but being further adapted to be turned upwards and to be held in it's upturned position when said element is inflated.
A lightweight multi-cell sheet like protective device that in a preferred embodiment is worn in a compact rolled donut shaped configuration about the waist of the user and is so maintained by spring means that form a part of the device. Upon an emergency arising, the supply means are manually actuated to inflate the cells, with the device then inflating from the first position to cover all of a desired portion of a users body to protect the user from a sudden shock or other changes of the environment that would be detrimental to him.
A recreational and amusement toy for children in the form of an inflated balloon-like jacket which covers the torso, permitting children to bounce or roll off one another while standing erect or while prone upon a lawn or soft-surface play area. The generally spherical configuration permits the child to quickly return to his feet from either a bounce or roll action when balance cannot be maintained. Arms can be retracted with bent elbow into the arm openings to permit the child to roll readily on the ground.
A protective garment for minimizing impact-caused injury, primarily to the body of a motorcyclist, comprising a body-part-enclosing covering means including an effectively hollow body-part-contoured inflatable bag provided with ingress port means and exterior inflating tube means communicating the ingress port means and pressurized gas supply means and the normally closed ingress valve means relative to fixed portions of a motorcycle for forcible opening actuation of the normally closed ingress valve means upon forced abrupt separation of a motorcyclist's body from a motorcycle as a result of an accident, for causing the rapid discharge of compressed gas through the open ingress valve means, inflating tube means, and ingress port means into the inflatable bag whereby to bring about abrupt inflation thereof in a body-protecting manner. In a preferred form, the inflating tube means is provided with controllably manually engageable and disengageable coupling means for allowing selective mounting and dismounting of a motorcyclist relative to a motorcycle without causing forced opening of the ingress valve means and the consequent abrupt inflation of the inflatable bag.
Motorcycle safety apparel is disclosed which may be made in stylish and unencumbering designs to encourage regular use by motorcycle riders, and the like, which in the event of an impending or actual accident will inflate to provide a protective enclosure for the parts of the body most susceptible to critical or fatal injury. In the motorcycle application, the apparel is coupled through an umbilical cord to a container of compressed or liquified gas, with a much shorter pull cord being coupled between the rider and the valve of the container to rapidly inflate the apparel on separation of the rider from the motorcycle prior to separation of the umbilical cord.
The invention is a self-contained protective device/system designed to protect the hips, pelvis, buttocks, and coccyx areas of the user. The device may be worn outside of the clothing. Because it is small in size and lightweight, it may be easily put on and removed and does not interfere with body movements. It contains the following components: an inflatable air bag folded into pleats, a battery, a gas cartridge, sensors to determine angular motion and acceleration, a triggering/valve mechanism to release the gas and a relief valve. When the user falls, the sensors automatically release gas from the cartridge and inflate the airbag assembly, forcing the folded pleats to fully cover said areas of the user's body. After use the relief valve is opened to release air from the airbag assembly, the pleats are reinserted into the system and the invention is ready for reuse after the spent cartridge is replaced. The invention is superior to prior art because of its automatic deployment, compact size, lightweight, ease of use and reusability. In this embodiment it will afford much needed protection to the elderly and infirm.
Inflatable airstrips for protection of a motorcyclist body in case of a traffic accident are disclosed. The airstrips comprise plurality of horizontal and vertical air strips which are all interconnected and inflated with gas from two gas inflators. A gas diffusing process is initiated by an activating cord which is extended from the ignitor unit and attached to the motorcycle.
An inflatable restraint is disclosed, and includes an elongated poncho having therein an airtight bladder and a cervical aperture for insertion of the head of the individual. A front portion of the poncho is adapted for juxtaposition with a rear surface of a forward seat and a rear portion is adapted for juxtaposition with and between the back of the torso and a forward surface of a rearward seat when inflated. The front portion is longer than the rear portion and has a larger volumetric displacement when inflated and extends over the front torso and lower extremities of the individual. The rear portion extends over the back torso of the individual. An inflation means inflates the bladder and restrains the individual between the forward and rearward seats for protection of the individual during an emergency while traveling in a vehicle.
An apparatus and method are disclosed for reducing or minimizing the particulates and other contaminants which may be brought into a restricted or clean room area. The apparatus and methods include a gown having positioning elements for keeping portions of the gown in place to permit inflation of the gown, for example during an airwash, and the apparatus and methods may also include gown inflation apparatus to remove the particulates and contaminants. Apparatus and methods of the present inventions also inflate the gown not only to eject particulates and contaminants that may be entrained or caught in the gown fabric, but also can be used to inflate the gown while the operator is in an air shower. Methods and apparatus of the present inventions also provide for an improved glove to gown seal, in addition to a reduced possibility of contamination from particulates or moisture from the operator's hands and an enhanced comfort level in the use of latex or rubber gloves with the gown. These and other features and benefits of the inventions disclosed herein will be more fully understood upon consideration of the following descriptions.
A protective system including a garment-shaped inflatable member for surrounding at least upper portions of the body of a rider of a non-enclosed vehicle, and apparatus for exposing the interior of the inflatable member to the pressurized gas source for rapidly inflating the inflatable member in response to a sudden eparation of the rider from the vehicle by at least a predetermined distance. The inflatable member has a garment-shaped configuration when in a non-inflated orientation, and when inflated, has an expanded, generally bulbous configuration such that large magnitude concentrated forces experienced thereby on impact with n object subsequent to the sudden separation of the rider from wherein the vehicle are prevented from transfer directly to the rider, thereby protecting the surrounded upper portions of the rider's body from serious injury.
The present invention relates to a safety device for users falling in the water. This device is characterized in that it is composed of a garment, particularly a waistcoat, a jacket, a coat or a windcheater intended to be worn by the user, this garment including at least one inflatable pocket connected by means of a supply hose to a cartridge of compressed gas provided with blocking members interact with triggering members sensitive to contact with the water and in return driving the blocking members for opening the cartridge of compressed gas and supplying the supply hose in order to inflate the pocket or pockets and allow it to act as a buoy. While these inflatable garments may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.